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How to Invest in Video Game Stocks Through an Online Brokerage

Choose between individual gaming-company shares and a gaming ETF, research its exposure and risks, then confirm brokerage access, fees and order rules before investing.

By TheFinanceBase Team 4 min read
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You can invest in publicly traded video-game companies or gaming-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through an online brokerage that offers access to the relevant security and exchange. First decide whether you want one company’s shares or a fund holding multiple companies; then research the investment, check the broker’s fees and trading rules, and review your order before submitting it. This is educational information, not individualized investment advice.

Choose between a gaming stock and a gaming ETF

Buying an individual company’s stock gives you exposure to that issuer. Video-game businesses can include publishers, developers, distributors, gaming-service providers and esports-related companies, so a company’s label alone may not tell you how much of its business depends on games. Review its current official filings and business activities before deciding.

A gaming ETF holds a group of securities according to its own investment mandate. That can spread exposure across multiple issuers, but it does not make the investment broadly diversified: a fund focused on gaming can remain exposed to the same industry-wide pressures and may have substantial exposure to particular companies. Read the current prospectus and holdings rather than choosing by ticker alone.

Two examples in 2026 fund filings

The SEC-filed Roundhill Video Games ETF summary prospectus dated April 30, 2026 describes NERD as actively managed and reports a 0.50% annual management fee. The prospectus also notes that brokerage and other intermediary charges may apply.

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The SEC-filed Global X Video Games & Esports ETF summary prospectus dated April 1, 2026 says HERO seeks results that generally correspond, before fees and expenses, to the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index. It reports a 0.50% management fee and explains that shares trade on an exchange through a broker, with bid-ask spread costs. See the HERO summary prospectus. These are examples, not recommendations or an exhaustive list. Check current holdings, fees, availability and disclosures before investing.

Research the investment and its risks

For an individual company

Use the company’s official filings to understand its business, financial condition and risks. Consider whether its gaming exposure is central or only one part of a larger business, and how dependent it is on particular titles, platforms, customers or intellectual property. A company’s gaming-related label does not establish that its stock is a suitable investment.

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For an ETF

Compare the fund’s objective, whether it is actively managed or index-linked, how it selects holdings, its current portfolio, operating expenses and stated risks. The Roundhill prospectus identifies intense competition, rapid product obsolescence and dependence on patent and intellectual-property protection as risks for video-game companies. It also discusses issuer concentration, liquidity-provider risks, trading away from net asset value (NAV), spreads and brokerage costs. These are disclosed risks, not predictions. Read the Roundhill prospectus for details.

Compare costs and trading characteristics

An ETF’s management fee is not necessarily your total cost. Depending on the fund and broker, costs may include fund operating expenses, brokerage commissions or other intermediary charges, and the bid-ask spread. An ETF’s market price can also be above or below its NAV. The SEC’s ETF investor bulletin explains that ETF shares trade on the market and that investors may pay more or receive less than NAV. Do not compare funds on expense ratio alone: also examine holdings, mandate, spreads, liquidity and broker access.

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Check your brokerage account before placing a trade

Brokerage platforms differ. Confirm that the broker serves your jurisdiction and supports the specific stock or ETF and the market on which it trades. Review the broker’s disclosures for applicable account, transaction, conversion and regulatory fees, and read its current order-entry instructions. Availability and eligibility depend on the broker; for example, Fidelity’s getting-started and trading FAQ describes its own processes, not the rules at every firm.

Place an order deliberately

  1. Find the security. Search the brokerage platform for the company or ETF and confirm that the name and ticker match the investment you researched.
  2. Select an order type. Market and limit orders are common order types. A market order prioritizes execution at available prices; a limit order sets the highest price you will pay to buy, though it may not execute. Follow the broker’s current instructions and consider how the order type fits your needs.
  3. Enter the amount or share quantity. Check whether the security is eligible for fractional investing if you are entering a dollar amount smaller than the price of one full share.
  4. Review the order preview. Check the security, order type, quantity or dollar amount, estimated cost and any disclosed charges. For an ETF, remember that spreads and the difference between market price and NAV can affect what you pay.
  5. Submit and check the order status. Use the platform’s confirmation or order-status screen to see whether the order executed, remains open or was rejected. An unfilled limit order is not a completed purchase.

Understand fractional-share limits

A fractional share is ownership of less than one full share of a stock or other security, according to the SEC staff’s Investor Bulletin published November 9, 2020. The bulletin illustrates that a hypothetical $100 investment in a stock priced at $1,000 could buy 0.1 share; that is an example, not a current quote. The bulletin represents SEC staff views and has no legal force or effect. Read the SEC staff bulletin on fractional-share investing.

Fractional-share service is not universal, and a broker may limit which securities qualify or restrict order types, execution timing, after-hours trading, voting rights or transfers. Fees, liquidity and the handling of corporate actions can also vary. Verify the firm’s current rules for the particular investment; FINRA’s fractional-share guidance explains issues investors should consider.

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Monitor the investment when something material changes

For a company, revisit its filings when its business, financial position or risk exposure changes. For an ETF, check updated holdings, reports, prospectus, expenses and mandate. Avoid assuming that frequent trading reduces risk: trading costs and spreads can impair results, particularly when making frequent small trades, as the Roundhill prospectus discusses.

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